1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reading apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent widespread use of multifunction peripherals (MFPs) may increase the possibility of leakage of confidential information when the information is printed as a paper document. For example, to prevent confidential information from leaking, the following methods are usable.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-009963, there is a conventional method capable of preventing confidential information from leaking. To this end, the method includes a process of embedding inhibition information in a print product to prevent the print product from being copied by an unauthorized person. The inhibition information can be acquired as part of image data when a print product is scanned. The acquired inhibition information is used to inhibit a secondary output of the product (e.g., copy or transmission of a print product). The above-described function is referred to as an output inhibition function in the following description.
However, even in a case where a print product includes inhibition information for the purpose of inhibiting a secondary output (e.g., copy and transmission), the confidential information may leak directly if the print product is delivered by hand without being copied. In this case, embedding the inhibition information is meaningless. In such a case, tracing a printer user of a print product is performed.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-346032, there is a conventional method for embedding, in addition to inhibition information, trace information in a print product. The trace information can be used to trace a printer user of a print product. If a print product includes trace information embedded therein, the trace information enables to trace print related information such as print date/time, printer place, and printer user.
Further, when a print product includes printer user information embedded therein, the information can prevent confidential information from being leaked even when the print product is carelessly handled. The function described above is referred to as information analysis function in the following description.
As described below, in APEOSPORT II and TrustMarkingBasic, trace information is acquired from a print product if both inhibition information and trace information are embedded in this print product.
An MFP scans a print product and generates image data. The MFP transmits the generated image data to an external apparatus (such as a personal computer (PC) or a server) on which an analysis application is installed to acquire trace information. The analysis application operable on the external apparatus acquires the trace information from the received image data and displays the acquired trace information.
However, image data may include secret information. Therefore, a method, which can analyze trace information using more secure and simpler method without transmitting image data to an external apparatus for the purpose of acquiring and displaying trace information, is processed.